Monthly Archives: July 2013

Well, as happens every now and then, a giant passenger jet required an emergency landing in Churchill this past week. Since the early military days, Churchill has had a mile long runway, one of the few in the north capable of handling these larger jets. There’s been a few events like this over the years, Churchill responds pretty well to them… I think the last one saw every possibly french speaking person in town gathered up to interpret for the passengers…
The first ship is in too – MV Camilla Desgagner. Its a freight ship. There … Continue Reading ››

So, the bears are ashore early… let’s try and figure out what this means. A few more blogs and charts have been released with more data so it looks like my assessment of ‘most bears ashore with a few hardcore holdouts’ is pretty accurate. At the bottom of this page, you can find the WWF bear tracker – its following three satellite collared females (a fourth seems to have dropped her collar or simply not survived). They have just posted their July 2013 tracking…
Anyway, these three bears tell a pretty interesting story. One was captured … Continue Reading ››

Well, judging by the ice charts, a good chunk of the western Hudson Bay polar bears are on shore by now – maybe a few big males and possibly experienced, savvy females still riding the ice south… but not too many, I would think. There still some good ice in southern Hudson Bay but that’s really more to the benefit of Ontario’s polar bears as opposed to Churchill’s…
Polar bears have been seen around Churchill, Nanuk Lodge and up at Seal River Lodge now. So, what was hoped to be a truly banner year has definitely … Continue Reading ››

Churchill’s in a bit of a mini-heat wave right now, that combined with forest fire smoke drifting up from the south. Of course, usually a muggy day ends up with a bunch of hot air pushed out over the bay which kind of triggers a north wind and temperatures drop back down, sometimes with rain or even hail. Its Churchill.
But, sounds like a pretty perfect day for Canada Day – a big event in Churchill and, well, most of Canada of course! There’s a little parade in Churchill, including the grader (as with most northern … Continue Reading ››

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Guide to the polar bears of Churchill, life in Churchill, Manitoba, Canada and news from the Arctic. Includes the polar bear blog, polar bear pictures, arctic stories and tales of cabin life.

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If you like the Polar Bear Blog, check out my first book, Polar Bears of Churchill. It combines over ten years of guiding experience in Churchill, Manitoba, Canada with the latest scientific research, local history and a bit of cabin fever. Independently published. Available online for $14.95!

Snaggletooth is an older bear, probably fifteen to twenty years old, who returned to Churchill for almost ten years until 2012. Characterized by his one-fanged grin, he was likely one of the top breeding males in the this population. His many scars and even his fractured jaw are indications of many spring battles with other males over the 'rights' to a female in oestrus. Sometimes, these sparring matches can carry on for over an hour in the spring, two males battling beyond the … Continue Reading ››

‘Eskimos from northern Hudson Bay believe polar bears from this region travel with the pack ice in spring and summer south and east, then wander northwards on foot along the west coasts of James Bay and Hudson Bay. Since such a theory is based mainly on the observations that bears appear and disappear seasonally, it is, at best, highly speculative.’ - Fred Bruemmer, Encounters with Arctic Animals, 1972